Before implementing data structures or algorithms, analyze allocation patterns and optimize for common cases. Key strategies: 1. Use fixed-size arrays for known small collections: ```rust // Before pub fn all() -> Vec<&'static str> { vec!["namespace", "class", ...] } // After pub const fn all() -> [&'static str; 15] { ["namespace", "class", ...] } ``` 2. Leverage specialized data structures to avoid allocations: - Use `hashbrown::HashMap` with `entry_ref` for string keys - Consider `smallvec` for collections that are usually small - Keep allocations behind `Arc` when possible 3. Profile before optimizing: - Measure binary size impact of changes - Use tools like cargo-bloat to identify hot spots - Consider both debug and release mode implications The goal is to minimize allocations in hot paths while keeping code maintainable. Always validate optimizations with benchmarks and profiles.